Ford F-150 gets new base engine, cheaper hybrid for 2024

DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. is making its top-selling vehicle, the F-150 pickup, much simpler to build while adding functionality for its customers.

It's also giving buyers more financial incentive to choose a hybrid version.

The 2024 F-150, revealed last week in connection with the Detroit auto show, lowers the price of the hybrid powertrain introduced two years ago by nearly $2,000 from what Ford charged for most of the past year. That makes the hybrid F-150 cost roughly the same as some gasoline-only versions.

Ford says 1 in 10 F-150 buyers opt for a hybrid, and it's planning to double production of that variant over the next year. In addition to promising lower fuel costs, Ford touts the hybrid truck's ability to power tools at a job site or even a home during an outage with its onboard generator.

"They're certainly recognizing and meeting a need that's out there," Stephanie Brinley, principal automotive analyst at S&P Global Mobility, told Automotive News. "Tying it in with Pro Power Onboard gives buyers something else. It's not just about the fuel economy savings of a hybrid; it adds functionality to their truck."

The updated F-150, which goes on sale next year, also includes a smaller but more powerful base engine, freshened Tremor and Raptor variants and improved tailgate functionality.

The 2024 F-150 will start at $38,565 including shipping.

While most of the truck's body was untouched, designers updated the front with a new grille, hood and headlights. An optional Pro Access tailgate contains a side-swinging door for easier access to the bed.

"They continue to find ways to make the adaptability and usability of their trucks better and better," Brinley said.

The 2024 F-150 will be sold in 90 percent fewer orderable combinations to streamline the manufacturing process and so dealerships don't have to stock such a broad selection. For example, officials said the available build combinations on the Raptor dropped to four from 60.

The simplification was achieved by making more features standard and packaging certain equipment together instead of separately, Ford said.

The standard 3.3-liter V-6 engine has been replaced with a 2.7-liter EcoBoost that Ford said would generate more horsepower and torque, although details were not provided. Platinum Plus replaces Limited as the top trim.

Other engine options remain unchanged: a 3.5-liter EcoBoost; a 3.5-liter PowerBoost hybrid; a 3.5-liter High Output on the Raptor; a 5.0-liter V-8; and a 5.2-liter supercharged V-8 for the Raptor R.

The truck is expected to offer a best-in-class maximum towing capacity of 13,500 pounds and payload capacity of 2,455 pounds, Ford said.

Aside from doubling F-150 hybrid production by next year, Ford CEO Jim Farley has also said the company plans to quadruple its overall hybrid sales over the next two years.

The changes for 2024 only cover the gasoline-powered F-150 and exclude the all-electric F-150 Lightning.

The update comes at a key moment for the automaker. Even as it invests heavily in electric vehicles, Ford's gasoline-powered F-Series pickup line continues to drive profits.

The F-Series generated $41.5 billion in revenue last year, according to Ford. That's more than Starbucks, Netflix and Visa combined.

U.S. sales of the F-Series have risen 22 percent to 514,716 this year through August.

Some of the biggest updates on the 2024 F-150 are in the rear.

The Pro Access tailgate has a door that's hinged on the passenger side and can swing open to preset positions at 37, 70 and 100 degrees. It also can open the traditional way by swinging downward.

The bed includes storage boxes behind the rear wheel wells. All trims come with a box on the right side, and trucks without the Pro Power Onboard generator also get one on the left.

It also features notches that can be used to separate the bed into compartments, a design feature Ford pioneered on the Maverick compact pickup.

The truck will feature Ford's latest technology, including the most recent version of its BlueCruise hands-free driver-assist system and a new "exit warning" that can notify occupants if another vehicle or bicycle is moving along the side when parked.